Ilhan Omar and Senator Bernie Sanders to Introduce Bill to Revive Universal Free School Meals, Tackling Child Hunger
Representative Ilhan Omar and Senator Bernie Sanders, along with their colleagues, are preparing to introduce legislation aimed at reinstating universal free school meals.
The bill, which will be unveiled on Thursday, proposes providing free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks to all students from preschool to high school, regardless of their income level. The legislation aims to permanently eradicate child hunger in schools and revive a federal program that served around 30 million children daily during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Studies have shown that access to free breakfast and school meals has a positive impact on students’ attendance, academic performance, health, behavior, and suspension rates. The bill’s proponents argue that it is morally bankrupt to debate the value of providing essential meals to children while expecting them to excel academically.
“The fact that we here in the United States are having a debate on the value of providing crucial meals to our children in times where we are expecting them to exercise their brain and to receive information through their educational lessons is an embarrassment. Myself and others would consider it morally bankrupt,” Omar, who represents Minnesota’s 5th congressional district, said.
A Minnesota state senator previously hit headlines for arguing against giving students free meals, on the basis that he has “yet to meet a person in Minnesota that is hungry.”
Universal free meals also aim to eliminate the stigma associated with being a free or reduced-price lunch child, preventing the embarrassment faced by families unable to pay for their children’s meals.
“I remember myself having the pin that you have to enter to get a school lunch and all of the stuff that you have to go through, trying to hide and being really anxious about the comments and the cruelty sometimes that comes with kids bullying kids who don’t have enough resources,” Omar shared. “It is a huge problem and it’s something that you carry with you even years after you leave school.”
The expiration of the free school meals program last September disappointed many, including school administrators, parents, and children. However, five states — California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, and New Mexico — have already enacted laws to provide free universal school meals, and several others support similar policies.
The Covid-19 pandemic prompted the government to intervene with various assistance programs, such as expanded child tax credits, stimulus checks, eviction moratoriums, increased unemployment benefits, and additional funding for food and housing. Advocates argue that these programs proved effective in reducing child poverty and should be maintained regardless of the pandemic.
The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2023 also includes incentives for local food procurement, promoting small family farms, ensuring local ingredients, and enriching local economies. Although the bill is expected to face opposition from Republicans on Capitol Hill, Representative Omar highlighted that nearly 75% of Americans, including Democrats, Republicans, and independents, support permanent universal school meals.
Senator Sanders emphasized the urgency of the issue, stating that it is an international embarrassment for the wealthiest country in the world to have record numbers of children and youth struggling with hunger. He stressed the success of a universal approach to school meals during the pandemic and called on Congress to pass the legislation to ensure no student goes hungry again.
Democratic senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Martin Heinrich, along with representatives Jim McGovern and Gwen Moore, are among the supporters of the bill.
Information for this story was found via The Guardian, and the sources and companies mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to the organizations discussed. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
